274. The Master Of Reality

We far too often search for that elusive " Once upon a time ", And hope someday that there will be a " Happily ever after ".We gladly lose ourselves in the distraction of our mind' s fantasies,And try, with little success, to make our lives as perfect as a dream.

The complexities of life, however, are a very harsh master of reality,Our very existence a constant struggle against hardship and pain.Poverty, for many, is an evil ghost waiting just outside of their door,And we wrestle daily with the boundaries between right and wrong.

In the real world there is almost never " Something for nothing ",And luck is merely a manifestation of hindsight, and perspective.We mistakenly believe that somehow we are born to be truly free,But there is a steep price to be paid for being a sentient creature.

We strive for the golden ring, no matter how far out of reach,And try to climb mountains much too steep to firmly stand upon.When we fall short, as we often do, we blame anyone but ourselves,And take no responsibility for our own failures and shortcomings.

Our dreams and fantasies are no substitute for attainable goals.Odin tells us that wisdom and knowledge are the roots of success,And hard work and sacrifice are the strong base of good fortune.Then, and only then, will the branches of our determination bear fruit.